


One more red nightmare

by bby_acheng



Series: Prompt list [3]
Category: Fallout: New Vegas
Genre: F/M, Forehead Kisses, Hurt/Comfort, I don't know if it needs an m and graphic description warning but better safe than sorry, Medical Procedures, Serious Injuries, So if that's something you want to avoid just a heads up, Somewhat graphic description of a Deathclaw attack and the following wounds, Surprisingly soft end
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-06
Updated: 2020-09-06
Packaged: 2021-03-07 03:29:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26310094
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bby_acheng/pseuds/bby_acheng
Summary: She had killed it! She had shot it dead!!She did! Her mind was screaming as she watched the scene unfold in front of her eyes. She knows that the creature had fallen to the ground and wasn’t moving anymore and Rex wasn't attacking it, it meant it was dead so why?How was it going towards Boone? And so quickly with it’s claws up?How did it happen? Why did it happen?Why!?WHY!!
Relationships: Craig Boone/Female Courier
Series: Prompt list [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1904569
Comments: 2
Kudos: 14





	One more red nightmare

**Author's Note:**

> For the prompt: Taking care of the other when sick or injured
> 
> Also many apologises for the ~~highly~~ inaccurate medical procedures as I did not even once Google but I'm so tired and I can't digest and process information rn oops.

It was a weird sensation, she felt time freeze around her as she saw the Deathclaw quickly going towards Boone.

She had killed it! She had shot it dead!!

She did! Her mind was screaming as she watched the scene unfold in front of her eyes. She knows that the creature had fallen to the ground and wasn’t moving anymore and Rex wasn't attacking it, it meant it was dead so why?

How was it going towards Boone? And so quickly with it’s claws up?

How did it happen? Why did it happen?

**_Why!?_ **

**_WHY!!_ **

"BOONE!!!!" She screamed for him as she took out her weapon again and shot the Deathclaw right in the middle of it's forehead, effectively blowing its brains out for good.

But she hadn't been quick enough... While she was busy pulling her gun, the Deathclaw's long claws had caught Boone. There was a sickening sound as the claws dug into the flesh and tore it apart. It couldn’t have lasted more than a few seconds but time had slowed down as she watched in horror as her companion’s body got torn into ribbons. The claws eventually ran out of flesh to scratch and she noticed with a heavy heart that they were soaked red with blood. So much blood… And a horrible scream followed, turning her blood ice cold.

As the Deathclaw finally got shot dead, she ran towards Boone. He was laying on the floor, his chest bleeding from the massive wounds and the blood spilled from them as if water out of a tap. She all but tore her jacket and most of her shirt into handmade bandages and tried her best to make sure the blood wouldn’t spill anymore. There was a rapid growing pool of blood surrounding them and luckily Boone was passed out at the moment so he wasn’t feeling any pain for now.

Once she managed to cover all of Boone’s injuries and making sure he wouldn’t bleed to death, she hauled him into her arms and carried him as quickly as she could back to the NCR’s ranger safehouse. It wasn’t exactly ideal but it was the closest thing to a safe place they had and it was away from Deathclaw territory. 

Junction 15 Railway Station wasn’t too far away from Quarry Junction but she figured it was safe to go see if there was anything useful around or inside. She heard Rex growl in warning but figured it was either bark scorpions, radscorpions or worker ants which were easily killable however that soon to not be the case as two Deathclaws appeared and rapidly got close to them. Despite the two of them having been teamed up for a while, quickly adjusting to the other’s style well and compliments the other's flaws and being experienced in dealing with several dangerous groups and animal mutants… Deathclaws were in an entirely different league of their own, along with Cazadores but that was a story for another time. Despite their massive size and being a big pile of hard muscle with big claws, they were quick on their feet and as expected, ridiculously strong and tough to kill.

Somehow they made it back to the safehouse without any Deathclaws or any other being attacking them on their way. It would have been impossible for her to defend herself and Boone and if their numbers were too big, Rex wouldn’t be able to protect them as they escaped. She let out a silent prayer as she quickly got to work to treat Boone’s wound before they got infected. It wouldn’t do for her to make sure he wouldn’t bleed to death only for an infection to finish the job.

She started going through her things and found that she only had some medical equipment, a bottle of whiskey and 2 stimpaks as fighting two Deathclaws made her generous supply to drastically decrease. She knew she did more with less in Camp Forlorn Hope but those soldiers meant nothing to her, she didn't have a bond with them. If they couldn't be saved obviously she would feel bad but it'd pass but Boone… She couldn't lose him. 

As she started to remove the flimsy bandages and the smell of blood invaded her nostrils, she didn't know if she wanted to throw up, cry or pass out, perhaps all three of them. Boone was sickly pale and before she could disinfect the wound, she used a stimpak to stabilize him and hopefully keep him unconscious. She thanked herself for her hoarding tendencies as she got a needle in order to stitch up the wounds. 

She poured purified water to clean the skin and then the alcohol to prevent any infections, she also disinfected the tools she would need. She was no professional doctor but she had been around long enough to know how to treat herself and others, she thanked all the books she read and the doctors that taught her how to take care of herself in her journey. 

She waited a few seconds so that her hands would stop trembling and started treating Boone. She was quick but efficient, she'd stop a few seconds to check if Boone's heart was still beating and that his chest was actually rising up and down as he breathed though it was more for her comfort rather than confirming what she already knew. He was alive and despite the seriousness of his wounds, he was going to survive… He had to. 

Once she was done stitching him, she removed Boone's ruined shirt and let him stay with his chest exposed to the air, not like she had anything else to use as cover. She also decided to remove his boots so he'd be slightly less uncomfortable and finally put . After setting a bottle of water next to the bed with Boone's beret and surprisingly unharmed sunglasses, she pulled a chair and sat next to the bed to monitor him and see if there were any changes. Now the only thing left to do was to wait for Boone to wake up. 

In the following hours nothing changed on Boone's status and she sighed in relief, no changes meant good news in this case. As she monitored him, she took the opportunity to finally eat something and take care of her own wounds and check on Rex, who decided to sleep on top of Boone's legs. It was a surprisingly adorable and heartwarming sight, she couldn't stop the small smile that painted her lips and wished she hadn't spent all of the camera roll that Michael Angelo allowed her to keep. 

She has been awake for twenty four hours now and her eyes felt heavy but Boone still wasn't awake so she pushed through by reading one of the books laying around that wasn't burned. Not long after she started reading, the words started to blur together and she shut it and set it aside. She gently picked Boone's cold and callused hand and gave it a small squeeze, he wasn't a man that liked physical contact and she was only human. She took whatever comfort she could get, his hand stayed in her warm and thinner one for a while long and before she could release the man's hand, her eyes closed against her will and she fell asleep, the exhaustion finally catching up to her. 

When Boone finally woke up, there was a persistent burning pain on his chest yet not as intense was when he first received the blow. He blinked slowly and finally noticed he was inside and laying on a bed. There was a warm and heavy weight on his legs and he craned his neck to see Rex sleeping soundly and then he noticed the warmth coming from his hand. He looked and saw a hand holding his, he followed the arm until he saw the woman was also sleeping soundly. She looked uncomfortable sleeping like that on the chair and he felt his neck and back twitch in sympathy.

He decided to try look at his chest and was surprised to see it covered in stitches. It shouldn't have been surprising considering the gravity of his wounds but seeing it like this, it made the pain flare up however the sight didn't actually bother him. A small part of him had hoped the Deathclaw would finish the job and end his misery. 

"You shouldn't touch the stitches, they'll come undone." A soft sleepy voice spoke to him accompanied by a gentle squeeze on his hand. 

He hadn't noticed he was trailing the stitches with his free hand and didn't even think about releasing his other hand from the soft hold, evidence that he was still wasn't fully conscious. 

"How are you feeling?"

"Pain." Was the only word that passed through his cracked lips, words were more difficult than he expected. His voice was hoarse and now he could feel that his throat was dry. 

"We still have a stimpak left, we used a lot on the fight but now that you're awake I will go try and find more while you recover here. The 188 Trading Post isn't too far from here, I can go there quickly and return." She said and finally let go of his hand, he already missed the warmth it provided.

She reached for the side of the bed and grabbed the bottle of water. With equally calloused and strong hands but warm unlike Boone's, she helped him sit in the bed without pulling the stitches. She opened the bottle and passed it to him, he drank almost half of it in one swig. 

"Better?"

"Yeah. Thank you." He said slowly. 

"There's no need to thank me." In a burst of courage she took his hand again. "I thought you weren't going to make it, I'm glad you did."

He doesn't reply to that, he's not sure what he would say and his brain is still too fuzzy, the pain making it hard for him to function. However the sensation started to drift back, his pain diminished and his mind was clearer. 

"You weren't replying and since you said you were still in pain I got you the stimpak."

"Thank you." He had said those words more in these past five minutes than in a long time. 

"You should get more rest while I go out, Rex will keep you company." The dog opened one eye when hearing his name but immediately closed and adjusted his position on Boone's legs, a small snort came out of her. "You won't even notice I'm gone."

Boone wanted to protest that he didn't need rest, he had just woken up but now that the pain receded, he was actually starting to feel exhausted. His eyes had already involuntarily closed when he felt a small kiss being pressed on his forehead. 

"Be back soon."

It was said in a soft voice and soon he fell asleep into a dreamless and painless slumber. 

**Author's Note:**

> Title from the song with the same name by King Crimson as it felt appropriate _*throws jojoke in here*_


End file.
